Review Group discussion

The review group is the most successful group for peer reviews on Goodreads. It hosts non-reciprocal reading/review rounds of ten authors with a variety of themes and genres, as well as ‘general’ rounds where any book is permitted, from non-fiction, to horror. When a round has ‘now forming’ in the title, there are places available, you can sign up. If it doesn’t, it’s full – look for another round or check back another time.

The Amazon rules state that authors/publishers are not allowed to specifically supply published books in return for reviews on Amazon. To comply with this rule, we don’t insist members review on Amazon, but we do insist that every participant in the round has the capacity to leave a review on their local Amazon store, so we all start with the same options.

The founding principle of the group is honest, non-reciprocal reviews, so please help maintain the integrity of the group by letting me know as you sign up if you have been reviewed by, or have reviewed another author in the group and do check back as the group fills to report any clashes. Usually places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

This is a 'General' round
All fiction/ non-fiction accepted. This means you may be required to read anything from a book about tax returns to horror/erotica and everything in between.

Please note it is always possible that the books you are assigned may contain material you find upsetting or offensive. If you can't commit to this, please do not sign up.

Now for the boring stuff, but please read it, it saves a lot of time if everyone is on the same wavelength.

Before signing up below with your Goodreads author and Goodreads book link in the thread below, please ensure that:

1. You have enough time to read and review 4 books within the 12 weeks of time allowed.

2. Your book is currently available for sale on Amazon (not pre-order) and it complies with the individual round theme, if there is one.

3. Your book is fit to be reviewed.
If it is not, due to editing or other issues, you risk poor reviews. This is your problem, not that of the reviewers or the groups. For a small fee, the group admin will look at the first few pages of your book to advise. The number one error new authors make is not having their book beta read and edited, by non-family members.

4. You can submit reviews to Goodreads and Amazon.
Amazon allows only those people who have spent $50 in the last year to leave reviews in each of their stores. If you are unsure about your Amazon reviewer status, try posting a ‘test’ review before signing up. If you are unable to post reviews on Amazon, please do not sign up.

5. You can provide (and accept) at least PDF files.
You are not expected or required to buy the books you are allocated to review, but as this will give a ‘Verified Purchase’ review on Amazon, it is welcomed when you choose to do so. Many authors have books available via KU and others might provide smashwords coupons. Most authors can provide mobi and/or epub files directly by email. Please note: International Copyright laws apply. You cannot sell, or give away material you have received without the author’s express permission.

6. You have completed your reading if you are currently in another review round in this group. You can be involved in the ‘one for one’ list whilst you are in a round.

7. You have an author profile set up before you join.

8. Your Goodreads profile allows people to message you, i.e. your profile is not set to private.

9. You declare any relationship you have with another member in the round.
Amazon will not allow reviews from the same household on the same book or if you are an editor, relative or close friend of another member.

10. You agree to finish assigned books before leaving a review, that your reviews will be unbiased and honest, whatever the star rating, and based on your perception of the merits of the book not on whether you like the genre or not, and you will try to avoid ‘spoilers’. i.e. giving away the finale of a book. Please note the Review Group will back any reviewer's right to express their opinion about a book, but personal comments about a fellow author are against both Review Group and Goodreads policy. If you DNF* an assigned book, you run the risk of not being allowed into review rounds in the future.

11. You will not ask a fellow author to change a review of your book because you don’t agree with it.
If you think you have a legitimate concern, talk to the mod of your round, NOT the other author. Personal attacks, or pressurising other members WILL NOT BE TOLERATED and will result in you being blacklisted.

12. You declare all Goodreads accounts when signing up for rounds, including all pen names and additional user accounts, so that these can be checked by moderators and other group members to ensure that there are not previous review conflicts.

13. Books which include AI-generated writing are not permitted. Reviews may not be written by AI.

Please note:
*We all want reviews, it’s why we joined the group. It is bad taste to expect other people to review your book and then not do the same for other people in the group. People that DNF and/or don’t post reviews will find it difficult to get into a subsequent group.

It is not necessary to leave any kind of disclaimer in your review, but ultimately, it is up to individuals. Reviews that state you received a copy ‘in return’ for a review will probably be removed/not allowed by amazon.com. ‘I received a free copy from the author without an obligation to review’ would be more acceptable if you feel the need to add a disclaimer.

Your Goodreads details and the rounds you participate in may be recorded by the admin mod on a database. We do not retain details of email addresses etc.

Allocation is entirely random and there will NOT be any rearranging of the listing to accommodate personal preference. The ONLY circumstance in which you may duck out of giving a review is if YOU provide a stand-in reviewer.

The only way this group can function is if we trust each other to behave honourably. And it IS perfectly possible to give a fair-minded review of a text that does not coincide with our normal choice of reading matter. If you need a few hints/tips, please see this thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I will do my best to fit everyone into the group they request, but occasionally, particularly in the case of our more prolific good standing members, I may have to decline a member request to fit the maximum number of people into a particular round. I will always endeavour to start another round as soon as possible with that member in mind.

It is permissible to review an author more than once if a different book is available.

If you need anything clarified please ask, either by Goodreads personal message to me or on the thread below, before signing up. It’s a pain to have to keep rearranging the list because people haven’t read the above.

Your group moderator will be: E.K. Frances

Member Links | Book Links
1. David Alyn Gordon | Case Files from the Nightfall Detective Agency: Fury of the Vampire: A Mystery Horror Fiction Novella
2. Christa Nonnemaker | Hearts at War
3. Gene Kendall | Gutbuster
4. Thomas A. Burns Jr. | Cult!: A Natalie McMasters Mystery
5. Loralee Evans | Ephraim's Garden
6. Jennifer Reinoehl | The Inconvenient Sister
7.
8.
9.
10.

In order to participate in this round, your setting for 'Who Can Send Me Private Messages' needs to be 'anyone'.
Please follow this link to check - and if necessary change - your privacy setting.
https://www.goodreads.com/user/edit?t...

Please Note: When signing up, as well as posting your Goodreads author and Goodreads book link, please post review conflicts. Please don't rely on memory.

To check if you’ve reviewed someone, click your “My Books”, and type their name in "search and add books".

To check if someone else has reviewed you, go to their profile, click the middle link under their picture (x reviews) then type your name into “search and add books”

Thank you :)

Please note two rules that are recent additions:

12. You declare all Goodreads accounts when signing up for rounds, including all pen names and additional user accounts, so that these can be checked by moderators and other group members to ensure that there are not previous review conflicts.

13. Books which include AI-generated writing are not permitted. Reviews may not be written by AI.

Hi EK

Can I join with Case Files from The Nightfall Detective Agency: The Fury of the Vampire.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Please advise and take care.

I'd like to join with my book Gutbuster. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

David has read me before, but not this book.

David wrote: "Hi EK

Can I join with Case Files from The Nightfall Detective Agency: The Fury of the Vampire.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Pleas..."

Welcome to the round, David.

Gene wrote: "I'd like to join with my book Gutbuster. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

David has read me before, but not this book."

Welcome to the round, Gene.

Thanks EK. Take care.

Hi EK,

May I join with Hearts at War (historical fiction/romance)?

Book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Author link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

I have not read either of the authors currently listed.

Thanks!

Christa

Christa wrote: "Hi EK,

May I join with Hearts at War (historical fiction/romance)?

Book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Author link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show......"

Welcome to the round, Christa.

Thank you!

Correction--I have read Gene Kendall before (Efficient and Divine: Almost Heaven).

Christa wrote: "Correction--I have read Gene Kendall before (Efficient and Divine: Almost Heaven)."

Thanks. Just updated the list.

E.K., might I join as well? Gene has reviewed me, David has reviewed me, and I have no conflicts either way with Christa. I have others for David and Gene to review.
I'd like to offer Ephraim's Garden (at least to those who haven't reviewed it yet.)
Author link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Book Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Loralee wrote: "E.K., might I join as well? Gene has reviewed me, David has reviewed me, and I have no conflicts either way with Christa. I have others for David and Gene to review.
I'd like to offer Ephraim's Gar..."

Welcome to the round, Loralee.

Can I join with "Black Powder, Black Heart"?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C...?

I have reviewed Gene before, but he likely has other books I can read. David and Lora Lee have reviewed me before, but I have several books they can read. No conflicts with Christa.

Seth wrote: "Can I join with "Black Powder, Black Heart"?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/..."

Hi Seth,

I'm sorry, I can't see a way to fit you in with the current conflicts.

I'd like to join with my middle grade historical novel, Kit's Indian Summer
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I have reviewed Gene

Loralee has reviewed me
David has reviewed me

I (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...)
would like to join with my Christian Historical Romance: The Inconvenient Sister

I have reviewed S.D., but for different books.

Loralee and Gene have reviewed me for a different book.

I am currently leading Group 385, but I have fulfilled all my review obligations for that group, so I think it is okay to join this one.

S.D. wrote: "I'd like to join with my middle grade historical novel, Kit's Indian Summer
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I have reviewed Gene

Loralee has reviewed me
David ha..."

Hi S.D., I'm sorry, I can't see a way to fit you in with the current conflicts.

Jennifer wrote: "I (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...)
would like to join with my Christian Historical Romance: The Inconvenient Sister

I have reviewed S.D., but for..."

Welcome to the round, Jennifer.

Thanks for trying....Gene. If anything changes let me know

i'd like to join with Cult!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Gene has reviewed me amd I've reviewed Loralee.

S.D. wrote: "Thanks for trying....Gene. If anything changes let me know"

Will do :)

Thomas wrote: "i'd like to join with Cult!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Gene has reviewed me amd I've reviewed Loralee."

Welcome to the round, Thomas.

Hi, can I join with 'Becoming Catherine' please?

I have reviewed David, Gene and Jennifer, but none of the books listed here.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...